Project your 401(k) at retirement
A 401(k) is one of the most powerful retirement tools available to American workers: contributions come straight out of your paycheck, often with an employer match, and growth is tax-deferred (or tax-free for Roth 401(k) contributions). This calculator estimates how large your balance could be when you retire based on your salary, savings rate, employer match, expected return, and raises.
Understanding employer match
Matches are usually described like "50% of your contributions up to 6% of pay." In that case, if you contribute 6% of a $75,000 salary ($4,500), your employer adds $2,250. Contributing less than the cap leaves free money on the table; contributing more than the cap is still worthwhile for tax-advantaged growth, but it does not earn extra match. Enter your plan's match rate and cap to see the impact. Some employers use different formulas or a vesting schedule, so check your plan documents.
2026 contribution limits
For 2026 the IRS set the employee elective deferral limit for 401(k), 403(b), most 457 plans and the federal Thrift Savings Plan at $24,500. Workers aged 50 and over can generally add an $8,000 catch-up contribution, and under SECURE 2.0 those aged 60–63 have a higher catch-up limit of $11,250 (IRS announcement). The calculator caps your own contribution at the limit you enter; raise it if you qualify for catch-up contributions. Limits are adjusted for inflation, so future limits will likely be higher than the figure modeled here.
Picking an expected return
Your result depends heavily on the return assumption. A portfolio's long-run return depends on its mix of stocks and bonds, and actual year-to-year returns vary widely. Many planners model something in the 4%–7% range after fees for a diversified portfolio, and run several scenarios. Because this projection is in future (nominal) dollars, consider entering a return that is already reduced by expected inflation if you want results in today's dollars.
How much income will this provide?
The calculator shows an estimate using the "4% rule," a guideline from retirement research suggesting that withdrawing about 4% of the starting balance, adjusted for inflation, has historically lasted around 30 years in many scenarios. It is a rule of thumb, not a guarantee, and it does not account for taxes on traditional 401(k) withdrawals. Social Security and any pension would be in addition to this amount.
Ways to improve your projection
- Capture the full match before anything else.
- Increase your rate by 1% each year or whenever you get a raise; many plans offer automatic escalation.
- Keep fees low; index funds with low expense ratios leave more growth for you.
- Avoid early withdrawals and loans, which can trigger taxes, penalties and lost growth.
Limitations
This is a simplified projection. It assumes a constant return, ignores taxes, vesting, catch-up eligibility changes, and fees beyond what you build into the return, and does not adjust the IRS limit for future inflation.
Formula used
For each year until retirement: employee contribution = min(salary × contribution %, annual limit); employer match = salary × min(contribution %, match cap %) × match rate.
balance = balance × (1 + g) + (contributions) × (1 + g/2), where g is the expected annual return (contributions are assumed to arrive evenly through the year, so they earn about half a year of growth). Salary then grows by your raise %.
Frequently asked questions
Is the match counted toward the $24,500 limit?
No. The $24,500 limit applies to your own elective deferrals; employer contributions count toward a separate, higher overall limit.
Traditional or Roth 401(k)?
Traditional lowers taxes now; Roth gives tax-free qualified withdrawals later. The best choice depends on your current and expected future tax rates.
Are results in today’s dollars?
No, they are nominal. Subtract expected inflation from the return to approximate today’s dollars.
What is the 4% rule?
A rough guideline for a sustainable first-year withdrawal from a retirement portfolio. It is not guaranteed.
Keep planning
- Compound Interest Calculator — model other investment growth.
- Take-Home Pay Calculator — see how 401(k) deferrals change your paycheck.
- Inflation Calculator — convert your balance to today’s dollars.